What is the Use of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose?

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is an anionic water-soluble polymer compound after chemical modification of natural cellulose. It is non-toxic, tasteless, non-irritating, and has good thickening, emulsifying, film-forming, adhesive, water-retaining and suspending properties. Therefore, it is widely used in food, medicine, chemical industry, daily chemical industry, building materials, oil drilling, textile, papermaking and other industries.

Uses in the food industry

In the food field, CMC-Na is a safe food additive (No. E466) and is widely used in bread, jam, beverages, dairy products, instant noodles, jelly, frozen food and other products. It mainly plays the following roles:

Thickening stabilizer: used in water systems such as beverages and condiments, it can significantly increase the viscosity of the product, making the taste smoother and the texture more delicate.

Water-retaining and moisturizing agent: Adding CMC-Na to bread, pastries and frozen dough can prevent water loss and extend the shelf life.

Emulsifier stabilizer: in dairy products such as yogurt and cream, it prevents oil-water separation and improves emulsion stability.

Film former: forms a smooth film on the surface of candy to improve the appearance and texture, while preventing water volatilization or sugar coating cracking.

Suspending agent: in juice drinks or fruit drinks, it can prevent solid particles from settling and maintain a good dispersion state.

Uses in the pharmaceutical industry

In the pharmaceutical field, CMC-Na is widely used because of its strong biocompatibility, low toxicity and stable chemical properties:

Tablet binder and disintegrant: CMC-Na can be used as a binder in tablet manufacturing, and it also has a certain disintegration effect, helping tablets to be quickly decomposed and absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.

Eye drops ingredient: as one of the important ingredients of artificial tears, it is used to relieve dry eyes and has a good lubricating effect.

Ointment matrix: used to prepare various ointments and creams to evenly distribute the drug and improve the spreadability during use.

Oral care products: such as toothpaste, adding CMC-Na can improve consistency and stability and prevent stratification or separation.

Uses in the daily chemical industry

CMC-Na also plays an important role in daily chemical products such as detergents, skin care products, and hair sprays:

Redeposition inhibitors in detergents: prevent dirt from redepositing on fabrics and improve cleaning effects.

Thickeners for shampoo and conditioner: improve consistency and give products good rheological properties.

Cosmetic stabilizers: stabilize and moisturize products such as lotions, masks, gels, etc., and improve skin feel.

Uses in the building materials industry

In building materials, especially dry mortar, tile adhesive, coatings and other systems, CMC-Na provides the following functions:

Water retention: prolong the construction time of mortar and prevent cracking caused by too fast drying.

Thickener: improve construction fluidity and anti-sagging, and improve construction performance.

Adhesion performance: improve the adhesion between the material and the base surface or tiles.

Improving dispersibility and anti-slip properties: helps the flatness and stability of tile adhesive after construction.

Uses in the oil drilling industry

CMC-Na is often used in mud systems in oil field drilling, and its functions include:

Thickener: Increase the viscosity of drilling fluid, which is conducive to carrying drill cuttings back.

Filter loss control agent: Form filter cakes on the well wall to prevent mud water from penetrating into the formation and protect the well wall.

Stabilizer: Improve the colloidal stability of mud and extend the cycle time.

Good environmental protection: CMC-Na is biodegradable, has little impact on the environment, and meets the requirements of green drilling.

Uses in the papermaking and textile industries

Papermaking additives: CMC-Na can improve the dry strength, surface smoothness and printing adaptability of paper.

Coating agent: Form a protective layer on the surface of paper to improve the surface ink application performance.

Slurry binder: It can be used as a slurry in the textile printing and dyeing process to improve the sizing uniformity and fabric feel.

Other application areas

Ceramic industry: As a binder and suspending agent for ceramic mud and glaze, it improves molding performance and stability.

Adhesive industry: CMC-Na can be used to prepare carton glue, wallpaper glue, wood adhesive, etc.

Water treatment agent: Some modified CMC-Na can be used for heavy metal adsorption and water treatment.

Agriculture: As a carrier of slow-release fertilizers or pesticides, it improves fertilizer efficiency and reduces loss.

Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose plays an important role in many fields due to its good solubility, stability, environmental protection and versatility. With the continuous development of industrial technology, the modification technology and application fields of CMC-Na will be further expanded, especially in the fields of green environmental protection materials, biomedicine, etc., showing great application potential.